Gray Haviland looked at her. “Tell the truth, Pauline,” he said.
“I have,” she replied, with a calm quite equalling his own. “Must we have the Coroner, Dr. Stanton?”
“Yes, yes, of course; I will telephone at once. There will be police and detectives,—oh, it is a terrible case! Nothing must be touched, nothing! If there is any clue to this mystery, do not let it be disturbed.”
“But you say it was without doubt a burglar who did it,” said Anita, her wide eyes gleaming blue.
“It must have been.”
“Then why were none of her jewels stolen?”
“Bless my soul!” and Dr. Stanton looked as if a bomb had exploded at his feet. “Sure enough! It cannot have been a burglar! Who, then? What other motive than robbery——”
“It was a burglar,” declared Pauline, “and he was—he was frightened away by—by a noise—or something——”
“Not likely!” said Anita, “with all those gems in easy reach!”
“The Coroner and the police must get here at once!” and the doctor wiped his perspiring brow. “Never have I seen such an inexplicable state of affairs! Was—was Miss Carrington indisposed at all last evening? Did she say or do anything unusual?”